NEW ORLEANS, La. – Jan Lukas Becker, a member of the Mississippi College men's cross country team, was honored as the NCAA Division II U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Athlete of the Week for the week of Oct. 9-15, 2023.
 
USTFCCCA NATIONAL RELEASE
 
Becker earned the honor following his performance at the 2023 Watson College Cross Country Classic at the Choctaw Trails. The redshirt-senior completed the race 23:29.8, setting a new school record and new course mark in the men's 8K. Becker's performance eclipsed the previous record by 21 seconds while pacing the field with a 24-second victory.
 
Becker's achievement made him the first Mississippi College athlete in any sport to receive a prestigious national honor, beyond just being the first cross country athlete to do so.